Please note that some of the additional information provided here by the journalist named below may not be accurate, so it should be treated with caution.

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September 1970

IF PETER WYNGARDE IS JASON KING, THEN WHO IS PETER WYNGARDE?

At a time when most of the actors involved in long running and highly popular television series feel it necessary to spend their off screen moments telling us that their telly characters do not reflect their real selves, it is refreshing to find one so obviously deeply delighted with his screen persona as his Peter Wyngarde. Not for him the old fears about typecasting, nor the assurances that were it not for the monthly cheques, he’d be off to the Royal Court in search of his artistic soul. Instead, for Mr Wyngarde, Jason King lives and is enough. Through Department S, the series which originally spawned him, has reached the end of its two-year run, writers are even now at work on a sequel to be called ‘The Other World Of Jason King’; in the meantime Mr Wyngarde has released a record with at least one reference to Jason, and he is currently writing an adventure story as Jason might have written it. Meeting Wyngarde, in the cool Kensington apartment he shares with an outside Afghan hound called Yousef, it is sometimes difficult to know where Peter stops and Jason starts. All that is absolutely clear is what Wyngarde had been around for a good 30 years before anyone ever thought of the mercurial Jason King.

He, Peter Wyngarde that is, was born around 1934 (as befits a man with a fan club to think of, he is suitably reticent about the exact year of his birth); the son of an English diplomat in the foreign service, he was taken to the Far East as a child and sent to live with a Swiss family in Shanghai for a month while his father went off on a brief mission to India.

“It just happened to be the month that the Japanese decided to attack Shanghai; they flew over and started to bomb everywhere and before we knew it they were rounding up all the English who were there. I was just seven at the time, too young to have my own passport so my father had put me on his; when the Japanese soldiers reached this Swiss family they asked for someone called Wyngarde and of course I said it was me so they took me off to an internment camp where I spent the next four years. I suppose the Swiss family could easily have pretended that I was their son, but looking back on it now I don’t know what the hell I’d have done in Shanghai for four years with a Swiss family, so in some ways I think I was better off in the camp.”

It was in the internment camp that Wyngarde started to act, first in impromptu charades stage by the children the and then in his own adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde.

remember dozens of children rushing out and shouting and waving in an effort to stop the attack. Soon after that the camp was liberated, but Wyngarde was to spend the next two years in hospital recovering from the diseases he’d contacted there; by this time his mother had remarried and Wyngarde recalls that the rest of his childhood was spent with a succession of stepfather’s.

“I suppose I was a rather peculiar child, though whether that was the result of being in a camp for four years I shall never know; I remember being precautious, spoiled, and a bully; I always had to be the boss. In that, I don’t think I’ve changed much. I adored my mother, who was a fascinating and beautiful French woman. She was always terribly important to me and I was furious if she didn’t lavish all her attention on me.”

By the time he reached his late teens, Wyngarde was virtually certain that he wanted to make his life as an actor.

“My family were really very sensible about it; they didn’t try to stop me, but my father said I ought to do something else as well so that I wouldn’t be entirely lost if the acting didn’t work out very well. In fact, there wasn’t much else I could do; we had no proper schooling in the camp, so I was hopelessly behind with everything and to this day I still can’t add at all. Anyway, I started to read law for a while but that was obviously hopeless so I went into an advertising agency to see what that was like. I was bitterly unhappy there, and one afternoon I ran away and started to wander around London. I was walking past the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, looking bright green because the malaria and jaundice I’d contracted in the camp kept coming back for brief spells, when I heard someone say that they were having auditions on the stage. I still didn’t really know what an audition was, but something made me walk inside and they gave me a scene from a play called Fresh Fields to read. I read all the parts in exactly the same accent and to my amazement they offered me a job understudying for one of the main characters; it was almost the end of the day and I think they were getting pretty desperate.”

Wyngarde’s career in the professional theatre started at Brighton when the actor he was understudying fell ill and Peter played Gerald.

“I thought it was going to be my big chance, so I played the first act like Noël Coward, the second night Lawrence Olivier and the third like John Gielgud; I think it was the worst performance in the world, but the man who ran Penge Repertory Theatre was in the audience and he seemed to like it so off I went to Penge. There I used to sweep the stage, make the coffee and play small parts until I was sacked for being the terrible actor I undoubtedly was. I was still very confident, but in fact I could only do character parts – I found it impossible to play my own age on the stage, and I had to hide behind bold wigs and false noses all the time. I went on from Rep to Rep, not really learning anything about it but still convinced that I was a marvellous actor in the making. Eventually, I got to Colchester were the theatre was run by a superb director who disciplined me and finally made me aware of all the things I was doing wrong. The first time I got to London with a revival of Somerset Maugham’s Loaves and Fishes, and while I was acting that one night, I suddenly managed to be myself onstage, to find my own personality in the character, and that’s the way I’ve worked since.”

But it was television that made Wyngarde’s name as a romantic leading man, first in the BBC’s serialisation of a Tale Of Two Cities and then in a succession of one-shot plays; when he returned to the theatre it was to play the Dauphin[1] opposite Siobhán McKenna in Saint Joan, a performance which brought him to the attention of at least one Hollywood mogul.

“One night this American arrived in my dressing room looking like Edward G. Robinson and asking how I would like to play Alexander the Great in his knew epic; naturally, I said I would, so he told me to get my hair cut and sign on at a gym to build my body up. I worked out there twice a day for six months until I was practically musclebound and then they made me do some film tests and a few weeks later someone told me that Richard Burton had got the part. So there I am with shorter hair, fantastic muscles and no job. Anyway, because I guess he felt guilty about me the producer said I could choose any other part in the picture I liked; I chose a fantastic character who at one time or another had been the lover of Alexander and both his parents; it was an important part that went right through the film but as soon as the men in Hollywood began seeing the rushes they decided that you couldn’t have a hero like Alexander in love with another man, audiences in the mid- 1950s just wouldn’t stand for it, so I was cut out altogether in the end. All that’s left of me in the film is for one shot of a terribly emaciated face under a huge helmet shouting, ‘Hail Alexander’ and that one shot represents a year of my life. Still. I’m not altogether sorry; the film turned out to be pretty disastrous. Richard looked like Harpo Marx in his wig; I look like Shirley Temple.”

Disillusioned with Hollywood, Wyngarde returned to the theatre and played opposite Vivien Leigh in a world tour of Duel of Angels. It wasn’t until five years later that he made his next screen appearance as the haunting Peter Quint in The Innocents. But the theatre remained his first love, at least until 1967 when he began to think seriously about a television series; in that year he twice collected rave reviews in plays that run for only a matter of weeks, and on that first night of The Duel it became clear that the pattern was about to repeat itself. But that night he threw a dinner party after the show, and among the guests was a television producer with an idea for a series to be built around a character called Roger Cummingford, a pipe-smoking Oxford don, who would be periodically called upon to solve exotic mysteries. At 4:00 O’clock in the morning, having just read the unpromising reviews for The Duel and, by his own admission feeling pretty pie eyed, Wyngarde agreed to do the series.

“The next morning my agent rang to tell me I had a meeting fixed for that day to discuss the start of the series. When I asked what series? He told me the producer had got a signed agreement out of me the night before. I couldn’t honestly remember a thing about it, but I went along to the meeting and they said that they didn’t care if I altered the character of Cummingford to someone I like better. And that was it. Roger Cummingford became Jason King.

Over the next 18 months, Wyngarde recorded 30 episodes of Department S gradually putting more and more of himself into Jason until he was able to ad lib large stretches of his dialogue.

“Because we were working so fast the only sensible thing seemed to be to make Jason a glamourized, dramatised extension of myself. But even though we’re  starting the new series soon, I still didn’t worry about being too closely linked with Jason. After all, I can always shave off the moustache when it’s all over. I don’t believe that any actor really knows who his true self is anyway; all you can do is to put bits of yourself into characters. If you think of great movie stars like Bogart or Garbo, they never attempted to be anything but dramatised extensions of the way they saw themselves.”

And if Department S has achieved nothing else, it’s a certainly turned Wyngarde into a star.

“Reaction to the series has been much stronger in other countries than here in Britain. When I went to visit Norway recently, 60,000 people turned up outside my hotel, and the same thing happened in Sydney. I think Jason supplies a kind of fantasy hero figure for an awful lot of people; I based him in some ways on Ian Fleming, the author of the Bond books, and I am hoping that now perhaps we can make a film starring Jason King which would appeal to the audiences who still flock to all the Bond films. I can’t understand why no producers picked up on the idea yet; there’s always an audience for that sort of cynical adventure film, and I’ve written one Jason movie script which I’ll do myself if necessary.”

So it looks as though Jason will be a part of his life for a long time to come; once unhappily married and now alone again except for the fans who lurk around his front door, he seems nevertheless settled in a comfortable pad surrounded by antiques, old leather and of course Yousef the Afghan. One gets the impression that Peter Wyngarde can now afford to do more or less what he likes, and for the few things he can’t actually do himself there’s always Jason King; Mitty never had it so good.

Notes:

[1]: Peter played Dunois in Saint Joan.

The books listed below all contain references and, in some cases, photographs of Peter in television and film productions. The ratings are in reference to the accuracy of that content and not of the book as a whole.

Please check back for new additions

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© Copyright The Hellfire Club: The OFFICIAL PETER WYNGARDE Appreciation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813997125389790/

Please note that some of the additional information provided here by the journalist named below may not be accurate, so it should be treated with caution.

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December 1971

Jason King and Me!

“I think of theatre and television as two mistresses, both delightful. It’s all rather like a love affair. The only time to worry is when one becomes a wife.”

Those words spoken with much elan was a declaration of feeling from Jason King alias Peter Wyngarde. It’s difficult to know where one ends and the other begins, so closely are they intertwined

For the record it was Peter Wyngarde, ex-Old Vic and Royal Shakespeare Company actor, I went to interview. We met at Elstree Studio on the set of Jason King, that extraordinarily successful television series which grew out of the popularity of the previous series, Department S. The character of Jason King so entranced the public that Peter now finds himself in a new series which expands the less explored aspects of Jason’s character. Such is the impact of Jason King that the series has already being sold worldwide. But since so much of himself has been sunk into the characterization of Jason King, when you talk to Peter Wyngarde you find there are twin souls merged from public consumption – a rather more appealing Frankenstein’s monster which might just haunt Peter Wyngarde for the rest of his life.

Like Jason, Peter Wyngarde is a connoisseur of the good things in life. The attitudes correspond much of the time, partly because Peter has moulded the fictional character largely on himself. He wears most of his own clothes in the series – and as trendy a wardrobe as Beau Brummell possessed I’d say.

How does Peter Wyngarde react to the sudden onslaught of aggressive female fan worship for instance, I had heard that some fans were sending him bras to autograph and return?

On the bras to autograph story? “At first I thought it was a joke and when I realised it wasn’t I was a bit unnerved by it. But now they send me panties as well. The trouble is they want me to send my underwear to them!”

Who falls for Jason King? “Well some are very young, some are just right and some are quite old,” Peter said

Does he share Jason King’s attitude to women?

“He has more choice,” Peter leered. Not that I’m complaining…”

I was asking Peter whether he found himself pursued by women when three young actresses, playing small parts in the series, happened to walk by with much sensual emphasis as they pass Peter. He smiled absently at me, his appreciative gaze following the three girls and said, “It’s usually the other way around!”

Peter was then called back on the set to shoot a scene where Jason King is discovered by three autograph hunters the (same three girls) while in his latest lady love’s apartment. Not wanting to be found there, he jumps out of the window and down a fire escape. As he came back to me he said that the scene brought back memories of a parallel situation which occurred recently in his own life. He was interrupted at a girlfriend’s flat by the sudden return of her husband and had to make a quick escape via the window, jump over a ledge and across a sheer drop into a flat in the opposite building. Whether Peter Wyngarde is living up to Jason King’s image or vice versa I didn’t ask.

What about marriage? Jason King is a confirmed bachelor. Is Peter Wyngarde contemplating giving up his divorced status? “I shall fight marriage tooth and nail,” he admonished fiercely. But in the end I know I’ll be one of those doomed people.You know, there are some people who will get caught and I am one of them.”

At the moment the only permanent fixture in his life is his dog, a large, highly pedigreed 2-year-old Afghan, Yousef, who rules the Wyngarde establishment with a rod of iron. Yousef has a pancreas condition which complicates Peter’s life considerably. “But it’s worth it. I love him, even though he is like a sick child and has to have a special diet and endless care.” Peter runs two homes – a cottage in Elstree and a flat in London. “Not that I see much of either when I’m working. I think I live quite simply, but people say I’m extravagant. I like having nice things around me.”

But the grind of sheer physical effort involved in a series like Jason King makes Peter relish the thought of a holiday. “I want to lie on a beach and do absolutely nothing and have people make a great fuss of me.” He says it takes a good six weeks to unwind mentally from the stresses and strains, but knowing his absorption and delight in hard work, when the unwinding phase is over it’ll be back in harness again. He hopes to make a film with Jason King as the central character. “I think he deserves a film.” And he wants to get back to the theatre. “That’s were the root are.”

Peter’s involvement in Jason King go so far as changing the script when he thinks something isn’t credible. The area of most dissent is, he says, in the realms of Jason’s love life. “It’s all on such a superficial level. I don’t believe in ever talking down to anybody. I think that even if you don’t understand the words you will understand the feeling. And the best dialogue, really, happens spontaneously, in real life. There’s so much you can’t show in television love scenes. So often in television there’s not enough concentration on the visual, which is after all, what it’s all about.”

The permissive screen is something Peter heartily approves.

He cares about Jason King. In fact, Peter Wyngarde cares about work. “When I’m not working I get very neurotic and nervy. Work really matters to me. Without it, well there’s nothing.”

On that maxim alone Peter Wyngarde will always have something.

Interview by By Susan d’Arcy

Broadcast: Tuesday, 7th February, 1961

Character: Major Peter Brayling

The Story

The play is set in the (fictional) Far Eastern state of Koaran, which is under British colonial rule.

The Governor of the university in the territorial capital of Sawalli is Entomologist, Dr Charles Brayling (Laidman Browne) whose son, Peter (Peter Wyngarde), is a Major in the British Army – a Company of which are stationed at Fort Melenby on the outskirts of the City.

In the opening scene, Dr Brayling is found in his office discussing his subject with local politician, Sir John Callington (William Fox). Together they’re standing in front of a glass case containing specimens of indigenous species of insects, which Brayling describes as being representative of all the people they know within the British community – including his own son, whose personality he likens to a large spider which takes pride of place in the display.

Peter’s mother (Vivienne Bennett) dotes on her son, and in spite of his philandering and point blank refusal to marry and settle down, will hear nothing unfavourable said about her darling boy, even from her more judicious husband.

Left: Peter – center, standing

For some time, Major Brayling had been dating Diana Claveney (Susan Marryott) but, of late, appears to have tired of her. However, there’s someone else who’s eager to take Peter’s place in Diane’s affections, namely Alec Felson (Paul Eddington) – a Botanist at the University. Regrettably for him, Diane is still in love with the Major, which causes no end of resentment on Felson’s part.

Over recent months, the British community in the Capital have repeatedly fallen victim to terrorists who’re loyal to the Koarani State. It’s Major Brayling’s duty as Commander of the Army Garrison in Sawalli to maintain order, and to keep its residents safe.During a routine patrol of the border between Koarani and a neighbouring state, Major Brayling and his subordinate, Sergeant, Aspery, spot a group of men who Brayling believes are insurgents, so the two soldiers track them for almost two miles across the frontier, until they observe the group taking refuge in a Buddhist temple.

When the rebels begin to stubbornly defend the Shrine, Brayling’s suspicions are realised, and he feels justified in crossing the border and attacking the Temple. Once the firing ceases and the Major’s able to gain entry to the building, he begins to tear it apart as he hunts for evidence of the rebels activities. During his search he happens upon a cellar, where he finds a terrified man dressed in the robes of a Buddhist Monk. The young Officer immediately sets about grilling the man; believing him to be part of the terrorist cell. In spite of the ‘Monks’ inability to give Brayling the information he demands, the Officer continues to push for answers until, inexorably, his captive expires under the weight of interrogation.

The Major decides to intern the body of the ‘Monk’ in the cellar, and returns to Sergeant Aspery, who’d been injured during the exchange of gunfire. With his wounded comrade slung over his shoulder, Brayling sets off on the gruelling march back to Fort Melenby, where he reports finding inside the temple a printing press used by the rebels to manufacture propaganda leaflets.

He immediately orders another of his juniors officers – Lieutenant Varden (John Ronane), to take a group of villagers with him to the Shrine to retrieve the Press and any other materials they find there. Yet, in spite of the Major giving Varden detailed directions on how to reach the Temple, the Lieutenant somehow manages loses his way in the dark, thereby reaching his destination several hours later than intended. By that time, the Press and its generator, plus all the photographic equipment described by Brayling, have disappeared.

Right: Peter and Paul Eddington as Alec Felson

What Vaden does find, however, is the body of the ‘Monk’ that the Major had concealed in the cellar earlier that day. When Vaden reports on what he’d seen at the Temple, the Major suggests that the insurgents must’ve removed the Printing Press and accompanying materials during the time it’d taken him to return to the Fort, and the Lieutenant reaching the Temple. But whilst his family and closest friends are willing to take Brayling’s word as gospel, the Army immediately begin an investigation into what had happened during the action, which requires the Major to spend the majority of his leave at Fort Melenby.

The gravity of the Army inquest seemingly has little effect on the Major’s dash, as a couple of evenings later he turns up at a local bar to get together his parents, complete with a new girl on his arm. There, too, is Diana – dejected and forlorn, yearning for him to spare her a glance.

At the same watering hole is university Botanist, Alec Felson, who’s seated with Lieutenant Varden – the latter of whom appears more than a little anxious at the mention of the Military Inquiry. Felson is already aware that his drinking companion has tendered a request to leave Major Brayling’s Company, and when pushed, the edgy Officer concedes that, unlike his Commander, he’s never been the “Paths of glory” type – believing himself better suited to the Education Corps which he hopes to join.

Alec senses that there’s something more to the Lieutenant’s sudden request for transfer, and that he might be concealing something. He therefore decides to divulge his own suspicions about what happened at the Temple, and produces a photograph of the Major that shows him with the bodies of two dead terrorists. Varden reveals that Brayling would often have such incident’s memorilaised, since he enjoyed being photographed with his “trophies”.

Felson asks if the Major had taken a camera with him on the evening he went out on patrol with Sergeant, Aspery. Varden confirms that he had. Then why, the Scientist queries, had he not photographed the printing press and other paraphernalia inside the Temple when he’d first come across it; did he not consider it judicious to take a snapshot to validate his story?

Varden remembers that the picture of the Major in Felson’s possession had been taken with the last exposure on a roll of film. Then why, Felson asks, did he bother to take the camera at all, unless there happened to be a second roll of film? He waits for a response from Varden, who confirms that there was indeed another roll in the camera when Brayling returned to the Fort. The Scientist speculates about what it might contain; a notion which the Lieutenant objects to – saying that it was unfair to hypothesise, given that the film had not yet been processed.

Felson swiftly points out that several days had now passed since the events at the Shrine, adding that there’d been plenty of time for the Major to have the film developed…. unless, of course, there was something that Brayling didn’t want anyone else to see?

There also appeared to be a question concerning the camera itself, since Brayling had asserted that some of the photographs which had come to light had not been taken with his camera at all. But Felson identifies a mark on the photograph in his custody that’d been caused, he claims, by a fault on the lens of Brayling’s camera. This detail had been brought to his attention by none other than Diana Claveney. However, as Lieutenant Varden is keen to point out, Ms Claveney had recently been spurned by the Major – and “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!”   

Varden has heard enough. He warns Felson to stay out of things that don’t concern him. Realising that he’s getting nowhere with the Lieutenant, Alec decides to take his argument to Sir John Callington, who also happens to be frequenting the same bar. It becomes clear that the two men don’t particularly like each other, so it’s no surprise that the Peer is less than sympathetic to the accusations being aimed against the Major. Indeed, Sir John tells Felson that he has no justification in trying to ruin Brayling’s career, and warns him that by taking the matter to Paruder – the State Governor, as Alec threatens to do, he risks losing a huge grant that’d been promised to fund a new Botany labpratory at the University. 

Meanwhile, Major Brayling finds Lieutenant Varden seated alone in the bar and approaches him to find out what he makes of Felson. The Junior Officer pauses for a moment, then declares that Alec gives the impression of “someone with a very vivid imagination”.  

“So he might be easily persuaded?” the Major enquires, shrewdly. Varden confirms with a single word: “Yes”.

Leaning in to get a light for his cigarette, Brayling requests to know what he’d told Felson during their exchange: “To mind his own business!” the now visibly shaken Lieutenant replies.

Right: With John Ronane as Lieutenant Varden.

But Alec isn’t one for heeding such advice, and as he’d implied the previous evening, he goes to see Paruder (Patrick Cargill), to whom he relates the same theory he’d taken to Varden. On this occasion, however, he introduces the additional premise that the man found in the Temple cellar had not been part of the terrorist faction at all, but was exactly what he’d appeared to be; a Buddhist Monk tending the Shrine. In that case, Brayling was nothing but a cold-blooded murderer.

Paruder merely grins at the suggestion, and recommends that the Botanist would make an excellent screenwriter. Infuriated, Alec produces the same photograph that he’d shown to Varden at the bar on the previous evening, which he maintains had been snapped with Brayling’s camera. To prove his point, he shows the Governor the mark on the print which he believes is unique.

Paruder rises purposefully from his chair and picks up a framed portrait of his eldest daughter from a ledge adjacent to his desk. He tells Felson that the picture had been taken in his garden by a friend of his. The print bears the same mark as the one retained by Alec, and yet it’s certain that the mounted image had not been taken with Major Brayling’s camera. Paruda explains to a deflated Alec, that the fault is generic to all camera lenses produced in Koaran. Alec’s “evidence” therefore proves nothing.

In Retrospect

Political Correctness Alert

The play ends without a clear or decisive conclusion, thereby leaving Major Brayling’s guilt or innocence open to the viewer’s own interpretation.

The impressions we’re given of each of the characters is ‘assumed’ by the other personalities in the story. For instance, Major Peter Brayling’s Entomologist father sets the tone by comparing his son to a deadly spider in his collection of insects.  

The doting mother is convinced that Felson hates Peter, because Diane Claveney – the woman Alec desires, is still hopelessly in love with the young Officer.

Lieutenant Varden’s proposition, meanwhile, that the spurned Claveney had implicated Brayling as reimbursement for his infidelity.

We than have Sir John Callington who admits to there being a mutual dislike between himself and Alec Felson, whilst openly admiring the Major – a regard he shares with the State Governor, Paruda.

And finally, we have Lieutenant Varden who’s hastily submitted a request to transfer out of Brayling’s Command – he says, to join the Education Corps.

Based on the above, we begin to get two very differing depictions of Major Brayling. Whilst his father obviously adores his son, he’s not quite as blind to his shortcomings as his mother is. The comparison he makes between Peter and the poisonous arachnid in his collection suggests that the Major has a deadly side to his nature.

Although blinded by her love for her son, Brayling’s mother, is astute enough to notice the Botanist’s eye for Diane Claveney, which would suggest a purpose for Felson’s dogged determination to see the Major charged with murder. With Brayling out of the picture, Alec would stand more chance of winning Diane’s heart.

Lieutenant Varden’s argument that Ms Claveney had acted out of malice by supplying Felson with technical advice regarding the fault on the camera lens, could be viewed from two different angles:

1. Might she have done it to implicate Peter Brayling in murder, as Varden suggests? Or,

2. Were her actions designed merely to make Felson look foolish, thereby taking the heat off her former lover?

We now come to Sir John Callington: a well-respected politician, who plainly has little deference for Felson, but who holds the Major in high regard. This leaves us questioning who’s really the villain here?

Alternatively, the twitchy Lieutenant Varden appears genuinely troubled. Is the reason for his wanting to join the Education Corps. genuine, or is it merely an attempting to distance himself from the Major?

Certainly, Felson’s version of events are pure speculation, given that he’s not a serving Army officer, nor was he an eyewitness to the events that took place at the Temple. His inference that body found in the cellar of the Shrine was that of a simple Buddhist Monk and not an insurgent as claimed, is merely conjecture. His speculation about what is contained on the second roll of film in Brayling’s camera is shot down in flames by Varden, as are his conclusions regarding the blemish left on the photograph by the poor-quality lens.

Certainly, Brayling had breached protocol by crossing the frontier whilst in pursuit of the suspected terrorists, but even Paruder advocates that the Army would overlook such an abuse if he was “able to bring something back”.

Lieutenant Varden describes Major Brayling as a man who enjoys “shooting Nig-Nogs”, which would imply that he had little respect for the native population – regardless of whether they are deemed to be enemy or not. To such a man, the ‘Monk’ in the Temple cellar would simply be viewed as nothing other than collateral damage, whether he was culpable of aiding the insurgents or not. 

Un-P.C. language aside, ‘Negative Evidence’ is an intriguing piece of television, which was broadcast live. It was meticulously written, well-acted and utterly thought-provoking.

Critics Comment

‘Negative Evidence was interesting (as almost any play with Peter Wyngarde in it is bound to be. He has such a dynamic personality, he makes other players seem like shadows), but there was rather too much technical blather and the women characters were wholly unbelievable.I never for one movement believed Peter Brayling was guilty of the crimes that the immature little toad, Felson, tried to pin on him, and neither would his Mother and fiancé. No woman who had loved and was engaged to such a man would betray him in the way she did, and the Mother showed a total lack of understanding of the female mind in making her behave in such a manner, however disappointed she may have been in him as a once prospective husband. But then, perhaps, only a woman can write convincingly about the inner workings of a woman’s mind. a man can only go by guesswork.

’Review by Eileen Waugh

BBC Radio – Wednesday, 19th November 1974

You see James Bond on television on film lying on a bed being massage by a beautiful woman, but somehow you think it can’t be real. I found out the other day that it is quite real. As an ardent fan of Department S, I decided that I want you to meet and interview Peter Wyngarde who plays Jason King in the series. As one of the best dressed men in the world, and with his talent for acting, he was made for the part of the author turned investigator.

I managed to get in touch with his agent in London and after a lot of telephone calls, I was given the address and number of where he was staying. I arrived in the depths of sorry and stood outside the wire fence, tape recorder in hand believe it or not, there was a guard on the gate and it was only a health farm! But a health farm where all the stars go to relax and sleep and avoid people like me.

I was shown to a waiting room and down a long, steamy corridor, I saw Peter being massage by a tall blonde. Another blonde was giving him a manicure. I was offered a glass of carrot juice, and I waited until he was finished. I looked down the corridor and saw him walking towards me, and for a fleeting moment I felt I was playing opposite him in an episode of Department S. I have met some people in my town, but never one who has left such an impression on me as a nice, genuine, kind, thoughtful person. We sat down together and I offered him some carrot juice. He promptly turned round and said, “My dear boy, if I have any more carrot juicer shall die!”

What kind of car do you drive?

I don’t really want to tell you the make, as it is really recognisable, but it is a sports car and there are only 12 of them in the world.

What are your aims in life?

To make Jason King movies, I feel that the Jason King character would lend itself so well to movies that they would sell, and eventually I would direct.

Do you have any advice for young people who want to become actors?

The best thing for them to do is to get on a tramp steamer and travel the whole world meeting as many people as possible. Then come back and think about it and when they’ve thought about it travelled the world again as I’m sure they’d enjoyed that far more than acting!

If anyone should ever be voted the best dressed man and one of the most sincere people in the world, then it should be Peter Wyngarde. My last words to you tonight are if you haven’t seen partners as Yankee bet you are missing her completely new and unique Adam enacting, enjoyment and excitement, and a thoroughly good detective series to boot.

John Dunn: …and on the ‘phone to me now, our star guest this evening, Peter Wyngarde. Good evening, Peter.

Peter: Good evening, Keith… (referring to a comment made during the link) …what a nice thing to say.

John Dunn: I’ve seen this picture of you (a publicity poster from ‘The King and I’) and it really is startling…

Peter: A very old King, it looked to me. Not a balding King.

Peter: (Laughs). A very old King.

John Dunn: No, you’re not really bald.

Peter: Well, he was a bit older, you know, really. He was about sixty-three, but I’m not playing him at sixty-three.

John Dunn: Well, you’ve got a way to catch up on that, certainly. But assuming that this is your stage appearance, how far do you get back to normal once you leave the stage door?

Peter: Well, it takes a little time, because you see all this hair is put up and tied in some sort of ridiculous; Granny-Knot, on the top of one’s nut, and then the eye make-up is a bit tricky, and you have to take all that off. Is that what you meant?

John Dunn: Yes, I mean that exactly, together with the fact that…

Peter: And I have to take all this, you know, sort of, because he has Siamese eyes – they’re slightly almond shaped.

John Dunn: I think you’ve made yourself distinctly more sinister than we’ve seen the part played before – than I’ve seen it played before.

Peter: Yes. I think that this sort of King – an omnipotent king, and being feudal. Because the interesting thing about it from my point of view is that in the Far East, over about six or seven hundred years, there was no difference, you know. There was a feudal system and that was that. So therefore, he’s almost a Medieval King, in fact.

John Dunn: Actually, you make it sound as though you’ve got a bit stuck with it; from Jason King to Siamese king!

Peter: (Loud laugh) I like playing kings, I think!

John Dunn: I don’t know why, but in a newspaper quote I’m looking at, it says that “The show is optimistically believing there’ll be a West End place for it in October.”

Peter: Yes.

John Dunn: Why does it sound so, erm…

Peter: Well, it’s the politics of the theatre, isn’t it? That awful thing that goes on. Everyone sort of plays little games about it all. And I believe there are certain people who are very interested in bringing it in, but it’s a question of availability I suppose.

John Dunn: Well, it’s a great musical. Are you involved in a great deal of the singing and dancing?

Peter: Well, I sort of make a noise. Actually, I make a very loud noise, but I’m enjoying it immensely. I mean, we’ve just had the first night at the Grand theatre in Wolverhampton, and there was a great standing ovation, and everyone was screaming and shouting and yelling. You know, it’s a marvellous feeling. It’s great to have that sort of rapport with the audience.

John Dunn: Oh yes, indeed.

Peter: For them to come over like that – I mean, it really was sensational.

John Dunn: Maybe you could fill in a terrible gap in my knowledge. What is your previous experience of musicals, Peter?

Peter: The only one I’ve ever done before was ‘The Good Woman of Setzuan’ by Bertold Brecht, at the Royal Court with Dame Peggy Ashcroft – and I believe I sang in that too – I remember singing the elephant song in it, and whipping John Osborne, who was also in it.

John Dunn: (Laughing). Was that a pleasant experience?

Peter: Yes – it was a very gruelling experience (laughs). It didn’t deter him!

John Dunn: What about your successful TV roles? Do you plan to do anymore?

Peter: I hope we will later on, but at the moment I want a rest – not a rest, I don’t think that’s the right word. I’ve always done theatre work, and I enjoy it so much that I thought I’d like to get back into it, so I went to Australia and did ‘Butley’ the moment I finished the series (Jason King), and then I did a marvellous play by Charles Dyer called ‘Mother Adam’, which we did at the Hampstead Theatre, and I adored doing that. And now ‘The King and I’. So that’s three very different – completely different – kind of characters, you know?

John Dunn: Well, since you’ve introduced the word ‘rest’…

Peter: Yes.

John Dunn: How would you define that? When you’re not working, and voluntarily not doing anything, what do you like to do?

Peter: I think possibly the most exciting thing I could do is lie on a beach and do absolutely nothing, and maybe just swim occasionally.

John Dunn: Not even a book in your hand?

Peter: No, not even a book in my hand! No, just absolutely lying in the sun and soaking it up, doing really nothing all day.

John Dunn: And have you a favourite beach where you like to pursue this?

Peter: Well, I’m mad about Morocco at the moment. And I’ve been back and forth about five or six times because I’m dotty about it. There a great stretch of beach there which goes on for about…. well, I should think all along the coast of Africa.

John Dunn: You don’t mean the bit that goes down from the North West corner where the lighthouse is, do you?

Peter: (Laughs). No, not as far as that. I like solitude, but that’s ridiculous!

John Dunn: Yes, there’s about ninety miles of it there.

Peter: Well, there’s a long stretch – about ninety miles, yeah – around Agadir.

John Dunn: I looked at that stretch of beach and I thought if a holiday camp king saw that he’s have a heart attack on the spot!

Peter: Well, I’m afraid I think they have. I think there’s a German concern that’s pretty interested in it at the moment.

John Dunn: Ah well, there’s still quite a bit of Morocco left. Anyhow, I wish you many more good times there, every success with ‘The King and I’, and thank you for talking to us on Late Night Extra.

Peter: Very kind of you, Keith.

John Dunn: Peter. Thank you and good night.

Peter: Thank you very much. Good night.

During his career, Peter worked with many legends of the cinema, stage and television. This is a directory of some of the more memorable ones.

Alfie ALLEN: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Keith ALLEN: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Lily ALLEN: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Patrick ALLEN:  The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957;  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Nicholas AMER: Nom-de-Plum – Child of Her Time (TV), 1956:

Harry ANDREWS: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Anthony ANDREWS:  Time and the Conway’s (Stage), 1975

Tony ANHOLT: Jason King – A Thin Band Of Air (TV), 1972

Peter ARNE: Night Conspirators (TV) 1963; Department S – The Double Death of Charlie Crippen, 1969: Department S – Soup Of The Day (TV), 1969

Anne ASTON: Jason King – Wanna Buy A Television Series? (TV), 1972

Dame Peggy ASHCROFT: The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage),1956

Jane ASHER: Out of this World Cold Equations (TV),1962

Peter BARKWORTH: The Revenue Men – The Exile (TV), 1967

Alexandra BASTEDO: The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1968; Department S – The Man Who Got A New Face (TV), 1969;

Ralph BATES: Jason King – Variations On A Theme (TV), 1972

Hermione BADDELEY: The Gambler (TV) 1956; The Innocents (Film), 1960; Mother Adam (Stage),1972 

George BAKER: Rupert of Henzu (TV), 1964 – (See below left: Peter with Barbara Shelley and George Baker)

Stanley BAKER:  Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Lucille BALL: Lucy in London (TV),1966

Trevor BANNISTER: Turn Out The Light – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Ronnie BARKER: Nom-de-Plum – Child of Her Time (TV), 1956: The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (TV), 1984

Alfie BASS: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Stephanie BEACHAM: Jason King – Chapter One: The Company I Keep (TV), 1972

Norman BIRD: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Ed BISHOP: The Saint – The Man Who Likes Lions (TV), 1972

Norman BIRD: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Isla BLAIR Department S – The Treasure Of The Costa Del Sol (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Red, Red Rose Forever (TV), 1972

Janet BLAIR: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Brian BLESSED: Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Clare BLOOM: Rosalynde (Radio play), 1955; Alexander the Great (Film), 1956; Duel of Angels (Stage), 1958 

James BOLAM: Present Laughter (TV),1964

Peter BOWLES: Department S – Six Days (TV), 1969

Wilfred BRAMBLE: The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957

Bernard BRESSLAW: Nom-De-Plum – The Man From The Sea (TV), 1956: The Spies (Stage),1966: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Jeremy BRETT: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – The Three Gables (TV),1993

Johnny BRIGGS: Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969

Tony BRITTON: The Rose Without A Thorn (TV), 1953

Brenda BRUCE: No Laughing Matter (Stage), 1957

Michael BRYANT: Jesus of Nazareth, 1956; The Duel (Stage),1968

Alfie BURKE:  Peter and Burke were in the same repertory company, and performed together in numerous plays

Raymond BURR: Underground (Stage),1983 (See right: Peter with Raymond Burr)

Richard BURTON: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Patrick CARGILL: Negative Evidence (TV), 1961: The Revenue Men – The Exile (TV), 1967; Babes in the Wood (Stage), 1986

Tony CAUNTER: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969: Wait Until Dark (Stage), 1989

Christopher CAZENOVE: Time and the Conways (Stage), 1975

Warren CLARKE: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Carol CLEVELAND: The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone, 1966

Fay COMPTON: The Sleeping Prince (Radio) 1967

Kenneth CONNOR: As You Like It (Radio), 1953; Stage By Stage – The Relapse (A.K.A. Virtue in Danger) (TV), 1954

Tom CONTI: The Queen of Scots (TV), 1961

Adrianne CORRI: Sword of Freedom (TV), 1957: Epilogue To Capricorn (TV),1959; Department S – The Man Who Got A New Face (TV), 1969;

George COULOURIS: R3 – The Forum (TV), 1965; The Prisoner – Checkmate, 1967

Peter CRAZE: Engineer Extraordinary (TV), 1959 (See below left: Peter with Peter Craze)

Rosalie CRUTCHLEY: The Gambler (TV) 1956; A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957; The Prisoner – Checkmate (TV), 1967: Crown Court – The Son Of My Father, 1984

Ronnie CORBETT: The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (TV), 1984

Bill COSBY: I, Spy – Let’s Kill Karlovassi (TV),1966

Robert CULP:  I, Spy – Let’s Kill Karlovassi (TV), 1966

Peter CUSHING: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Timothy DALTON:  Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Stuart DAMON: The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1967; Department S – Handicap Dead (TV), 1969

Windsor DAVIES: Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Dame Judi DENCH:  Time Remembered (Radio), 1965

Edward DE SOUZA: A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957; Two Gentlemen of Verona (Audio Book), 1965; Department S – The Double Death of Char lie Crippen (TV), 1969;

George DEVINE: The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Basil DIGNHAM: Sword of Freedom – The Sicilian (TV), 1957; The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1968; Department S – The Duplicated Man (TV), 1969; Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969; Department S – One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty (TV), 1969; Jason King – Variations On A Theme (TV), 1972

Vernon DOBCHEFF: Casino Real (TV), 1963

Amanda DONOHOE: Tank Malling (Film),1989

Michelle DOTRICE: Jason King – Buried in the Cold Cold Ground, 1972

Gabrielle DRAKE: The Servant (Stage), 1967

Paul EDDINGTON: Negative Evidence (TV), 1961 (See below righ: Peter with Paul Eddington)

Adrian EDMONDSON: The Comic Strip Presents… The Yob (TV), 1988

Denholm ELLIOTT: The Man In Room 17 – First Steal Six Eggs (TV),1966

Michael ELPHICK: Department S – Who Plays The Dummy? (TV), 1969

Clifford EVANS: Jason King – Every Picture Tells A Story (TV), 1972: Jason King – A Kiss For A Beautiful Killer (TV), 1972

Dame Edith EVANS: The Light is Dark Enough (TV),1958; This Book Is News (TV), 1958   

Fennella FIELDING: The Country Wife (Stage), 1990; Graham Roos album, ‘Quest’ – Track: ‘Night Dragon’ (2010).

Gerald FLOOD: Crown Court (TV), 1983; Underground (Stage), 1983

Steve FORREST: The Baron – The Legions of Ammak (TV), 1969

William FRANKLYN: Guilty Conscience (Stage), 1986

Liz FRASER: Jason King – An Author In Search Of Two Characters (TV), 1972

Ronald FRASER: Nom-De-Plum – The Man From The Sea (TV), 1956

Caron GARDNER: Department S – Black Out (TV), 1969

Julian GLOVER: Jason King – Variations On A Theme (TV), 1972

Colin GORDON: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962; Department S – A Small War of Nerves (TV), 1969

Hannah GORDON: Light Up The Sky (Stage), 1986

Dulcie GRAY: Time and the Conways (Stage),1975

Nigel GREEN: The Bridge (TV), 1956; Jason King – As Easy As A.B.C. (TV), 1972

Sir Alec GUINNESS: Hamlet (Stage), 1951

Michael GWYNN: Department S – A Ticket To Nowhere (TV), 1969; Jason King – All That Glisters parts I & II (TV), 1972

Patricia HAINES: Night Conspirators (Stage),1963; Department S – The Trojan Tanker (TV), 1969  

John HALLEM: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Thin Band Of Air (TV), 1972; Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Sheila HANCOCK: Bulman – I Met A Man Who Wasn’t There (TV), 1985

Jenny HANLEY: Department S – The Bones of Byrom Blain (TV), 1969

Edward HARDWICKE: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – The Three Gables (TV),

Juliete HARMER: Department S – A Ticket To Nowhere (TV), 1969; Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969; Jason King – Uneasy Lies The Head (TV), 1972

Laurence HARVEY: As You Like It – (Radio play), 1953

Linda HAYDEN: Underground (Stage), 1983

Patricia HAYES: The Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense – And The Wall Came Tumbling Down (TV), 1984

James HAYTER: The Duel (Stage), 1968

Joan HEAL: The Taming of the Shrew (Stage), 1959 (See below left, Peter with Joan Heal)

Don HENDERSON: Bulman – I Saw A Man Who Wasn’t There (TV), 1985

Ian HENDRY: The Crossfire (TV),1967

Benny HILL:  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV),1964

Jan HOLDEN: Present Laughter (TV), 1964; Guilty Conscience (Stage), 1986 

Sally HOME: Rupert of Hentzau (TV), 1963; Night Conspirators (TV, 1962; Dracula (Stage), 1975

(Sir) Anthony HOPKINS: Department S – A Small War of Nerves (TV), 1969

Michael HORDEN: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

Donald HOUSTON: Department S – The Ghost of Mary Burnham (TV), 1969′ Jason King – A Deadly Line In Digits (TV), 1972

Sally Anne HOWES: The King and I (Stage), 1976

Gareth HUNT: The Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense – And The Wall Came Tumbling Down (TV), 1984

Freda JACKSON: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1960

Colin JEAVONS: Nom-de-Plum – Child of Her Time (TV), 1956: The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone (TV), 1966

Mervyn JOHNS: A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957

Stratford JOHNS: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969;

Margaret JOHNSON: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962

Freddie JONES: Jason King – A Deadly Line In Digits (TV), 1972

Sam J. JONES: Flash Gordon, 1980

Yootha JOYCE: Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (T), 1967; Jason King – If It’s Got To Go, It’s Got To Go (TV), 1972

John JUNKIN: Jason King – That Isn’t Me, It’s Someone Else (TV. 1972

Felicity KENDAL:  Jason King – Toki (TV), 1972

Jean KENT: Love Her To Death (TV), 1957; Epilogue to Capricorn (TV), 1959

Deborah KERR: The Innocents (Film), 1960

David KILLICK: The King and I (Stage), 1974; Dracula (Stage), 1975; Present Laughter (Stage), 1975

(Sir) Ben KINGSLEY: Turn Out The Lights – ‘The Boyhood Haunt’ (TV), 1967

Roy KINNEAR: Jason King – An Author In Search Of Two Characters (TV), 1972 (See below right: Peter with Roy Kinnear)

Ronald LACEY: Department S – The Soup of the Day (TV), 1969: Jason King – Regular character, 1972

Dinsdale LANDEN: Jason King – It’s Too Bad About Auntie (TV), 1972

John LAURIE: The Queen of Scots (TV), 1961; The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Audio Book), 1965

Wilfred LAWSON: Liebelei (TV), 1954: Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953; L’Aiglon (TV), 1953

Rosemary LEACH:  Sherlock Holmes – The Illustrious Client (TV),1966

Vivien LEIGH: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1958/1960

Ronald LEIGH-HUNT:  Nights Conspirators (Stage & TV): Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969; Underground (Stage), 1983

John Le MESURIER: Jason King – If It’s Got To Go, It’s Got To Go (TV), 1972

Tutte LEMKOW: The Dybbuk (TV), 1952; L’Aiglon (TV), 1953; Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953; Siege Of Sidney Street (Film); Jason King – To Russia With… Panache! (TV), 1972

Sue LLOYD: Present Laughter (Stage), 1975; Department S – Black Out (TV), 1969: Jason King – An Author In Search Of Two Characters (TV), 1972

Charles LLOYD PACK:  The Enchanted (Stage), 1953; St Joan (Stage), 1954;  Jesus of Nazareth, 1956; Evening in Hochsberg (TV), 1957: Jason King – The Constance Missal (TV), 1972

David LODGE: The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967

Arthur LOWE: Turn Out The Lights (TV),1967

Cyril LUCKHAM: Night Conspirators (Stage & TV), 1963; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964; Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969

Patrick MACNEE:  The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone (TV); The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967  

Philip MADOC: Casino Real (TV), 1963; Jason King – A Page Before Dying (TV), 1972

Elspeth MARCH: The Duel (Stage) 1968; Anastasia (Stage),1976;  Underground (Stage), 1983

Fredric MARCH: Alexander the Great (Film), 1956

David MARKHAM: Rope (TV), 1950

Millicent MARTIN: The Sleeping Prince (Radio) 1967

Alfred MARX: Jason King – Nadine (TV), 1972

Jean MARSH: Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969

Anna MASSEY: Esso World Theatre (TV),1966;  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV), 1964

Patrick McGOOHAN: The Prisoner – Checkmate (TV), 1967

Siobhán McKENNA: St. Joan (Stage), 1956

Leo McKERN: Also Amongst The Prophets (TV), 1955; The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957 (See below, left: Peter with Leo McKern and Patrick Allan at rehearsals for, The Widows of Jaffa)

Keith MICHELL: Loyalties (TV), 1962

Bernard MILES: This Book Is News (TV), 1958 

Spike MILLIGAN: Babes in the Wood (Stage), 1986

Isla MIRANDA: The Baron – The Legions of Ammak (TV), 1966; The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967

John MOFFAT: The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV), 1958

Geraldine MOFFAT: Department S – Six Days (TV), 1969; Jason King – The Constance Missal (TV), 1972

Kieron MOORE: The Siege of Sidney Street (Film), 1961;  Department S – Dead Men Die Twice (TV), 1969; Jason King – Toki (TV), 1972

Sir Roger MOORE: The Saint – The Man Who Likes Lions (TV), 1966:  The Saint – The Gadic Collection (TV), 1967 (See below right: Peter with Roger Moore in The Saint – The Man Who Likes Lions)

Peggy MOUNT: Brighton Festival – Royal Pavillion (Stage), 1974

Patrick MOWER: Department S – The Soup of the Day (TV), 1969; Jason King – Nadine (TV), 1972

Barbara MURRAY: The Rose Without A Thorn (TV), 1953; Present Laughter (TV), 1964; Department S – Dead Men Die Twice (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Red, Red Rose Forever (TV), 1972

Patrica NEAL: The Royal Family of Broadway (TV), 1958

Hildegaard NEIL: Present Laughter (Stage),1975;  Jason King – Flamingoes Only Fly On Tuesdays (TV), 1972

Anthony NICHOLLS: Night of the Eagle/Burn Witch Burn (Film), 1962; Department S – The Ghost of Mary Burnham (TV), 1962

Bill NIGHY:  Crown Court – The Son Of My Father (TV), 1984

Derek NIMMO: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1958

Merle OBERON: Assignment Foreign legion – The Debt (TV), 1956

Edmond O’BRIEN: Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color: The Further Adventures of Gallagher (TV), 1965

Richard O’BRIEN:  Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Kate O’MARA: Department S – Who Plays The Dummy (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Kiss For A Beautiful Killer (TV), 1972; Light Up The Sky (Stage) 1985; As You Like It (Stage), 1988

Julian ORCHARD: A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957

John OSBOURNE:  The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Richard O’SULLIVAN: The Queen of Scots (TV), 1961

Lance PERCIVAL: Jason King – Uneasy Lies The Head (TV), 1972

Esme PERCY: Rosalynde (Radio play), 1955; The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Bill PERTWEE: Babes in the Wood (Stage), 1986

Ingid PITT: Jason King – Nadine (TV), 1972 (See below left: Peter with Ingrid Pitt)

Donald PLEASENCE: The Dybbuk (TV), 1952

Joan PLOWRIGHT: The Good Woman of Setzuan (Stage), 1956

Olaf POOLEY:  English Family Robinson – Free Passage Home (TV), 1957: The Adventures of Ben Gunn (TV), 1958; Jason King – A Page Before Dying (TV), 1972

Nyree Dawn PORTER: The Duel (Stage), 1968

Eric PORTMAN: The Crossfire (TV), 1967

Mike PRATT: Jason King – A Red, Red Rose Forever (TV), 1972

Dennis PRICE: Jason King – Regular Character (TV), 1972

David PROWSE: The Champions – The Invisible Man (TV), 1968; Department S – The Treasure of the Costa del Sol (TV0; 1969

Edmund PURDOM: Sword of Freedom – The Sicilian (TV), 1957;

Ronald RADD:  The Bridge (TV), 1956; Ordeal By Fire (TV), 1957; A Tale of Two Cities (TV), 1957; Night Conspirators (Stage & TV), 1963; The Prisoner – Checkmate (TV), 1967;  Department S – The Perfect Operation (TV), 1969; Jason King – Chapter One: The Company I Keep (TV), 1972 (See below right: Peter with Ronald Radd in The Prisoner)

Ronald REAGAN: General Electric Theatre – Time To Go Now (TV), 1958

Sir Michael REDGRAVE: The Innocents (Film), 1960

Wendy RICHARD: Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Sir Ralph RICHARDSON: Cyrano de Bergerac (Audio Recording), 1964; Esso World Theatre (TV), 1964 

Dame Diana RIGG:  The Avengers – A Touch of Brimstone (TV), 1966; The Avengers – Epic (TV), 1967  

Edina RONAY: The Servant (Stage), 1966; Department S – Les Fluers Du Mal (TV), 1969; Department S – One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty (TV), 1969; Jason King – A Thin Band Of Air (TV), 1972

Michael ROBBINS: On Trial – Sir Roger Casement (TV), 1960; Turn Out The Light – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969

Toby ROBINS: Department S – The Man In The Elegant Room (TV), 1969; Jason King – Chapter One: The Company I Keep (TV), 1972; Jason King – That Isn’t Me, It’s Someone Else (TV), 1972; Present Laughter (Stage), 1975

Anton RODGERS: Department S – One Of Our Aircraft Is Empty (TV), 1969; Jason King – All That Glisters parts I & II (TV), 1972

Guy ROLFE: Department S – Death On Reflection (TV), 1969;

Ruth ROMAN:  I, Spy – Let’s Kill Karlovassi (TV), 1966 (See below left: Peter with Ruth Roman)

Margaret RUTHERFORD: Time Remembered (Stage), 1964; (Radio Play), 1965

John SAVIDENT: Department S – The Double Death of Charlie Crippen (TV), 1969

John SCHLESSINGER: Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953

Tony SELBY: Department S – The Man From X (TV), 1969

1958

Elizabeth SELLARS: Will Shakespeare (TV), 1953; Ordeal By Fire (TV), 1957; The Shining Hour (TV),

Barbara SHELLEY: Rupert of Henzu (TV),1964; The Revenue Men – The Exile (TV), 1967

Frank SINGUINEAU: The Widows of Jaffa (TV), 1957; Night of the Eagle (Film), 1962

Donald SINDEN: The Siege of Sidney Street (Film),1960

Madeline SMITH: Jason King – All That Glisters parts I & II (TV), 1972

Sir Patrick STEWART: Cyrano De Bergerac (Stage), 1959

Sheila STEAFEL: Hotel Riviera (TV), 1957

Nigel STOCK: Sherlock Holmes – The Illustrious Client (TV), 1965 (See below right: Peter with Nigel Stock)

Dudley SUTTON: Department S – Handicap Dead (TV), 1969

Ann TODD: Duel of Angels, (Stage), 1958

Chaim TOPOL: Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Patrick TROUGHTON: Nom-De-Plum – The Man From The Sea (TV), 1956; Ordeal By Fire (TV), 1957;  Night Conspirators (Stage), 1963;  Jason King – That’s Not Me, It’s Someone Else (TV), 1972

Mary URE: Duel of Angels (Stage), 1960;  The Two Character Play (Stage), 1967 (see below left: Peter with Mary Ure in Duel of Angels)

Anthony VALENTINE: Department S – The Soup of the Day (TV), 1969

Wanda VENTHAM: Department S – The Man From X (TV), 1969

Richard VERNON:  The Man In Room 17 – First Steal Six Eggs (TV), 1966

Max VON SYDOW: Flash Gordon (Film), 1980

Billie WHITELAW: Terminus – Hour of Decision (TV), 1955

Kenneth WILLIAMS:  St Joan (Stage), 1954  

Douglas WILMER: Rosalynde (Radio play), 1955; St Joan (Stage), 1954; Sherlock Holmes – The Illustrious Client (TV), 1965 

Ray WINSTON: Tank Malling (Film), 1989

John WOODVINE:  The Taming of the Shrew (Stage), 1959; Turn Out The Lights – A Boyhood Haunt (TV), 1967

Jeremy YOUNG: Department S – The Pied Piper of Hambledown (TV), 1969

Taken from the Bradford Telegraph and Argus

A PRESENTER of Bradford-based BCB Radio has paid tribute to the late Peter Wyngarde who died in 2018 aged 90. The British actor was best known for his TV role as suave, flamboyantly-dressed sleuth Jason King in Department S and its Seventies spin-off, which was named after his character.

Carl Gresham, who has been presenting with BCB for 18 years has shared his memories of the actor to whom he was promotional manager for public appearances in front of adoring female fans in his hey-day.

Mr Gresham rose from a local record shop manager “for a tenner a week” to an entrepreneur and theatrical and promotional manager rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest stars to hit stage and TV screens.

He has also been a columnist, disc jockey, actor, presenter and a musicologist.

He developed many personal friendships with the stars who he later employed when he launched his personal appearances company.

One of these great friends was Peter Wyngarde.

On hearing the news he had died, Mr Gresham told the Telegraph & Argus: “I’d just like to say how sorry I was to read of Peter’s death.

“During the ’70s we had a contract to officially open over 30 Woolworths newly refurbished stores throughout the UK.

“Other than my friends and clients, Morecambe & Wise, Peter was the most requested and highest paid celebrity making personal appearances.

“He was a charmer with the ladies and his appearances on the Woolworths engagements drew in excess of 5,000 screaming ladies.

Though Mr Gresham was from Bradford, the nearest he got Wyngarde to the city was to Barnsley’s Arndale Centre.

“Peter was an absolute joy to work with and drew massive crowds. We were even turned away from a Woolworths store on one occasion.

“The police said the stores around “Woolies”, in the Arndale Centre, were worried their all-glass frontages might break.

“On the way there we were stopped by a police car and a lovely police lady said: “Hello, Jason.” (They always called Peter by his TV role name). “I’m sorry but we can’t let you go any further.

“Peter asked me: “Dear Boy, will I still get paid?”

“To which I replied, of course you will, and, of course, he did. Woolworths said whilst they were sorry not to have had Peter in person the story hit nearly all the front pages of the daily newspapers. They couldn’t have bought that publicity!

“He was a wonderful gentleman.”

Wyngarde, the French-born son of a diplomat, also notched up roles in The Avengers, The Saint, The Prisoner and appeared as villain Klytus in Flash Gordon and as Timanov in Doctor Who: Planet Of Fire.

“He died at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, in London after having been unwell for a couple of months.”

Click HERE for Carl Gresham’s interview with the Official Peter Wyngarde Appreciation Society.

Richmond Theatre production. October 1950

Character: Willy Pentridge

The Story

The action of the play takes place in the Convent of Our Lady of Rheims; a French Nursing Order, at Denzil St David, and in a village some miles from Norwich, England. It’s 1947.

ACT I: The Great Hall of the Convent, around 6pm.

ACT II

• Scene 1: Sister Mary’s Room, two hours later
• Scene 2: The same, next evening 

ACT III

• Scene 1: The same, next afternoon
• Scene 2: The Great Hall, three hours later

Willy Pentridge (Peter Wyngarde) is a Autistic man who is employed as an odd-job man at a convent.Although he’s considered an “idiot” by some of the more bigoted in the local village he is, in fact, very perceptive and not a stranger to the occasional wise word. Indeed, Nurse Brent says of him: “He knows more about the weather than normal people”, whilst Nurse Phillips declares: “I hate the horrible Willy prowling around!”

A murder of a young man takes place at the Convent, for which his sister- Sarat Carn, is accused, judged and sentenced to execution. Against the wishes of the Mother Superior, Sister Mary goes to see her and agrees to help with her appeal which, inexorably, fails.

The Sister inevitably pits her instinct concerning Sarat’s innocence contrary to the authority of the Mother Superior,who speculates that the Order might’ve lost the Sister spiritually: “For you matters are never simple or uncomplicated.”

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